Vickie Brokke joined the TCTA family as President & CEO in January 2011. She brings to TCTA extensive experience in non-profit management and is well known in the Topeka community for her relationship building and fund raising skills. Vickie tells us she will not be looking for a role on stage; instead you’ll find her in the TCTA audience enjoying and appreciating all the amazing talent we are so blessed to have in our volunteers.

e-mail: vickie@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 105

Shannon Reilly, Artistic Director, holds a B.A. in Theatre from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and a Masters of Fine Arts degree (M.F.A.) in directing from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He first came to TCTA in 1990 as a guest director from Kansas City to direct Wait Until Dark. He returned the following year to direct The Night Hank Williams Died and was asked to join the staff as Associate Artistic Director in September of 1992. Shannon was named Artistic Director in December of 1993 and has directed over 100 productions for the Topeka Civic Theatre. Past theatre credits include work with the Acting Company of New York, the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, and The Missouri Repertory Theatre in Kansas City. Shannon served as Education Director/Artistic Director of the Blue Lakes Fine Arts Camp of Michigan. He also formed two improvisational comedy companies, Laughing Stock of Kansas City and TCT's very own improvisational company.

e-mail: shannon@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 123

Barbara Bruner, Finance Director, a native Topekan, has been a volunteer at TCTA since 1987 in a variety of capacities: running crew, strike crew, host, house manager, and box office. After spending 30 years at Hall Commercial Printing handling the finances and accounting, she returned to Washburn University to complete her BA in Psychology. She subsequently earned her MS from K-State in Family Studies and Human Services. She joined the TCTA staff in January 2007 and has never before had so much fun at work! Barbara has three wonderful grown daughters: Kris, Deb, and Lisa.

e-mail: bookkeeping@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 129

Chelle Decker began her involvement with TCT as a volunteer in 1996. Since that time, she has spent a lot of time on stage, but also behind the scenes and as the Marketing Director for the theatre. She is proud to say she’s acted in all six categories of shows at TCTA (Mainstage, Studio, TYA, Academy, Helen Hocker and Performance Company) and each was a unique and wonderful experience. After growing up in Olathe, she spent time studying at Emporia State and at Cambridge University. She is a graduate of Washburn University with a B.A. in Theatre and a B.A. in Mass Media. When she’s not “on the clock”, she enjoys volunteering at TCTA as a family with her husband and son, Teddy Mac.

e-mail: marketing@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 124

Lynda Denton, Helen Hocker Theater Office Manager. After volunteering at Topeka Civic Theatre for over five years, Lynda joined the staff in October, 2005 as Capital Campaign Secretary for the Oldfather/Gage Capital Campaign. What an exciting project to be a part of! She began volunteering at the theatre when her two sons, Don and Dan, were cast in separate productions in the spring of 2000. She has volunteered as house manager, host, receptionist, strike crew, as well as in the costume shop, box office, and for special events. Lynda was born and raised in suburban Chicago, and she and husband Don and their two sons moved to Topeka in 1998.

e-mail: lynda@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 102

Linda Falley, Director of Donor Development, is from “our town,” and raised in the Topeka community. After graduating from Washburn University, she taught in USD 501. Linda is the proud mother of three sons and two darling daughter in-laws. She was thrilled to receive her first “Grammy Award” in January 2003 when her oldest son declared that she would be called “Grammy” after his firstborn Grace arrived. Linda adores being Grammy to Grace who is nine years old, Hayden who is seven years old and Parker Elizabeth who turned one 11/11/12. She is amazed to be beginning her 9th year on staff as TCTA celebrates our 77th season!

e-mail: development@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 103

Patricia “Pattie” Homan, Maintenance Supervisor, graduated from Silver Lake High School. She has lived in the Topeka area her entire life. Pattie started working for TCTA in 1999 when the move to our Gage School location was complete. In the beginning, she came to TCTA as a Cardinal employee on loan to us for only three days. She's still here today, and is now an official TCTA staff member. The rest, as they say, is history! Her passion is the Pontiac Trans Am, and her dream is to own one someday.

e-mail: pattie@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213

Tom Hughes was transplanted at a young age with his family from Texas to Norway where he grew up. He returned to the United States for college beginning at KU and moved from state to state for several years pursuing various specialties before putting down roots in Kansas and completing a BA in Liberal Arts at St. Mary’s College. He has been a volunteer at TCTA since 1996 in many capacities including acting in Mainstage, Studio, TYA, and Academy shows and was honored with the Carmie Wolfe Volunteer of the Year Award in 2012. Having joined the TCTA staff in March of 2013, he is overjoyed now to be working at the very place where he so happily played for the previous 17 years. As Administrative Assistant, he provides support for all the departments at TCTA.

e-mail: tom@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 102

Adam Jenks, Resident Designer & Technical Director Helen Hocker Theater, started volunteering for TCT at the young age of seven and is thrilled to be working for the theatre he has called home all his life! He graduated from Seaman High School and has been working in technical theatre ever since. He was the Technical Director/Facility Manager at the Columbian Theatre, the Production Manager at Topeka Performing Arts Center, and a Technical Lighting Consultant for XS Lighting in Overland Park. He is thrilled to be a new dad of two beautiful daughters, Teegan and Talia. In his spare time he enjoys spending it with his wife Nina and occasionally gets time to spend on the boat fishing or on a golf course.

e-mail: adam@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213

Casey Cain Malone, Box Office Assistant, has a thick head of red-hair and vocal cords that never stop. In grade school, check marks after her name quickly became her thing – she socialized way too much. Starting in August of 2011 she talked her way into TCTA Box Office Assistant position, where socializing is no longer a problem! Casey has a degree in Art with the emphasis in Fine Art Photography and started her own photo business in 2003. She is married to Ahmadd Malone and they just had their first child in 2011, a handsome baby boy named Cain Triton Malone.

e-mail: casey@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213

Kristie Ohlemeier, Box Office Assistant, is originally from Colorado and has a MM in Music Performance from Emporia State University. In Topeka Civic Theatre’s 2001-2002 season, she was cast in “Starmites” and “La Cage aux Folles”. Kristie has been a member of Topeka Festival Singers since 2007. She and her husband, Mark, have a beautiful daughter who loves to dance and sing.

e-mail: kristie@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213

Rebecca Radziejeski, Volunteer Coordinator, has spent her entire life in theatres and feels most at home on a loading dock or behind a light board. A TCTA volunteer since 2009, she has extensive stage managing and technical experience, and enjoys few things more than constructing a good spreadsheet. Rebecca has nearly acquired her BA from Washburn in French and History, and in her spare time, enjoys renovating her house and playing with her dogs.

e-mail: rebecca@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 121

Eddie Shirron, Club Manager, came to Topeka in the summer of 2000 following 31 years service as a soldier in the U.S. Army. Eddie holds a BA in Speech & Drama and a Masters in Military Arts & Science and History. He joined the staff in March of 2003. Eddie is also a volunteer at TCT, both as an actor and stage manager. He is a member of the WTCT Radio Players company. He and his wife, Joan, also a TCT volunteer, have two grown children, Carrie and Greg. Eddie is an avid golfer and hunter, and enjoys the study of the American Civil War. And, he is an amateur wine enthusiast.

e-mail: club@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213

Ted Shonka, Resident Designer & Technical Director/Sheffel Theatre, has worked on or acted in well over 200 productions. He received his B.A. in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado. Ted earned his M.F.A. from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Ted is an accomplished actor and is an adjunct professor at Washburn University Theatre Department. He has performed for and built sets for the Missouri Repertory Theatre, the Unicorn Theatre, the Coterie Theatre and many other theatres around the country. He is married to Amy and, he says, they have way too many animals.

e-mail: ted@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 113

Cathy Kready Smith, Box Office Manager. A born and bred Topekan, Cathy was hired as a full time employee in March of 2003, after volunteering for almost nine years. She has three beautiful and talented children who grew up around the theatre. Cathy is married to her best friend, Bruce Smith, who is a regular on stage here. Together, they enjoy hanging out at the theatre with friends, working on do-it-yourself projects at home, and traveling to visit children.

e-mail: cathy@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 128

Kathy Smith, Director of Corporate Development, Kathy recently joined the TCTA staff and is helping us launch a new staff position. Prior to joining the TCTA family, Kathy was the Executive Director at ArtsConnect. She helped launch ArtsConnect in 2006, and is credited with bringing the arts community under a cohesive umbrella and greatly increasing community awareness. Kathy is a native Topekan; she and her husband, Randy, are raising three children that have been active in the TCT Academy and The Freshman Class.

e-mail: kathy@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213

Kate Stires, Resident Costume Designer, started volunteering at TCT because her daughter Jamie was cast in a show. TCT got into her blood and she has worked on every show since then. She took early retirement from JCPenney to take on the full time job as Resident Costume Designer in 2002 and loves it! She is a KU graduate with degrees in Commercial Design, Silversmithing, and English. Kate and her husband Jay have two grown children, Kelly and Jamie, and three adorable grandchildren, Lilli, Cole, and Tom.

e-mail: kate@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 125

Laurie Hebison Uhler, Helen Hocker Theater Resident Costume Designer, caught the theatre bug in high school and has been acting, directing, and designing ever since. She has a Bachelor’s of Secondary Education in Theatre/Communications and a Masters in English, both from Emporia State University. Laurie taught theatre and English for fifteen years, worked in various community theatres, and continues to run Berkeley Square Media with her incredible husband, Dave. She learned to sew from her mother, and credits her parents for the “creativity gene.” She and Dave have five amazing kids, ages 2 to 24.

e-mail: laurie@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213

Jennifer Van Bruggen, Education Director, has served in that capacity at the theatre since 2002. She received a BA in theatre from Sterling College (in Sterling, KS) in 1993 and an MA in theatre from KU in 2003. Before joining TCTA, she was an admission counselor for Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Van Bruggen has also acted, directed and choreographed at various community theatres throughout the state. She lives in Topeka with her wonderful husband, Hudson and adorable little girl, Adell.

e-mail: education@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213

Christy Weiler, Assistant Club Manager joined the club staff in November 2002 as a bartender and server wanting to obtain extra money for her upcoming wedding. Suddenly, TCTA became a second home to her and she has never wanted to leave. Christy attended Pittsburg State University and Washburn University majoring in Public Administration. By day, she is a Management Systems Analyst for the State of Kansas. Christy spends all of her other valuable time with her husband, Brad and two children Mia and Talan.

e-mail: club@topekacivictheatre.com
phone: (785) 357-5213